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<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=90 BGCOLOR="#006699" TEXT="#080000" background="136fd5a3.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="6" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Bazooka" ><B>Western Slope ATV Association</B><B> </B></FONT><B>   </B><B> |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Western Slope ATV Association"><B>home</B></A></div> <div> <B>About Us</B>   |   <A HREF="id3.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Club Archives">Club Archives</A>   |   <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Club Ride Photos">Club Ride Photos</A>   |   <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Items of Interest">Items of Interest</A>   |   <A HREF="id15.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Favored Links">Favored Links</A>   |   <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us">Contact Us</A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=210 BGCOLOR="#FFCC66" TEXT="#080000" background="137d2b03.jpg"> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="143b7af0.jpg" border=0 width="183" height="175" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.cohvco.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.cohvco.org"><IMG SRC="14c645f0.jpg" border=0 width="100" height="95" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.sharetrails.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.sharetrails.org/"><IMG SRC="14b64230.jpg" border=0 width="100" height="35" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></A></div> </td> <td valign="top" height=390 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000" background="18b9e5f3.jpg"> <div> <A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Western Slope ATV Association">Home</A>  <A HREF="id3.php" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Club Archives">Club Archives</A>   <A HREF="id4.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Club Ride Photos">Club Ride Photos</A>    <A HREF="id5.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Items of Interest">Items of Interest</A>    <A HREF="id6.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Contact Us">Contact Us</A></div> <div> <I><U>About Us</U></I><I><U> </U></I></div> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>Mission Statement</B></div> <div> The Western Slope ATV Association was founded on the principle of promoting ATV use as a legitimate family recreational activity on public lands. In doing so we will promote responsible use and educate the general public, media and elected officials on land use. The WSATVA will provide search and rescue assistance to Mesa County and will work with the local BLM and Forest Service offices to obtain grants and to provide trail maintenance and construction to help benefit the outdoor community.</div> <bR> <div> <I><U>Monthly Meetings</U></I></div> <div> <B>3rd Wednesday of every month but December.</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="5c109790.jpg" border=0 width="777" height="377" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> (Meetings and gatherings notice compliments of the Grand Junction Free Press) </div> <bR> <div> <I><U>Membership</U></I></div> <div> <B>Annual dues are $20 for an individual or entire family</B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial Narrow" >. </FONT></div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Anyone interested in protecting motorized access to our public lands, and in sharing the wonder and beauty of our public lands via the lawful access and use of roads and trails on an All Terrain Vehicle, is welcome to visit us at a meeting or pot luck dinner.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">At least one (1) Club Ride, led by an experienced WSATVA Ride Leader, is offered each month, on the Saturday or Sunday following the monthly meeting. Often many other rides organized by WSATVA members occur during each month.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A monthly newsletter comes in your mailbox as part of your annual dues.</div> <div> <IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700f000000000.png" HEIGHT="16" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">A WSATVA sponsored, paid for and maintained Website is offered at www.wsatva.org for those members and non-members with Internet access.</div> <bR> <div> <I><U>Safety</U></I></div> <div> The Western Slope ATV Association encourages the safe use of All Terrain Vehicles through responsible riding and proper training in their use. Although optional, WSATVA also encourages the use of helmets and appropriate riding gear such as protective gloves, boots, goggles and the like. </div> <bR> <div> <I><U>Making a Difference</U></I></div> <div> Unlike the <I>environmental-mouths</I>, the Western Slope ATV Association (WSATVA) of Grand Junction, Colorado, and sister clubs like the Thunder Mountain Wheelers of Delta, Colorado, actually contribute to the well-being of the environment we live in;  through voluntary donations and contributions of labor for trail and highway cleanups, trail maintenance, cooperative grant-funding for trail building and rebuilding projects, bridges for stream crossings and through support of Mesa County, Colorado Search and Rescue (S.A.R.C.). </div> <bR> <div> The WSATVA is proud to support and be affiliated with the <A HREF="http://www.sharetrails.org/" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.sharetrails.org/">Blue Ribbon Coalition</A> and the <A HREF="http://www.cohvco.org" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.cohvco.org">Colorado Off-Highway Vehicle Coalition</A> in protecting public lands for the people instead of protecting public lands from the people. Come see what we are all about.</div> <bR> <DIV ALIGN="LEFT"></DIV> <div> <B>WESTERN SLOPE ATV ASSOCIATION</B></div> <div> <B>By Jacque Gaskill</B></div> <bR> <div> The Western Slope ATV Association (WSATVA) in Grand Junction, Colorado, is one of the largest ATV organizations on the western slope of Colorado. Boasting over 250 members today, WSATVA was formed in 1987 with 33 hearty outdoor enthusiasts wishing to explore the wonders of our fabulous terrain. </div> <bR> <div> The main goal of the WSATVA is to have fun while promoting safe OHV use, as well as preserving the ability to ride and maintain trails in western Colorado.  WSATVA has worked hard to develop a good network of communication with the local U.S. Forest Service and BLM offices and it has paid off.  The club has advocated responsible ATV riding, while working with these agencies to prevent unnecessary closures on public lands.</div> <bR> <div> WSATVA also saw a need to provide assistance to Mesa County Search and Rescue, (S.A.R.C.) so a volunteer organization was formed within the club to help with searches and rescues on the western slope.  The dedicated volunteers are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week and must be ready to respond to a call for assistance at a moment's notice. In 2005 the ATV arm of SARC was responsible for extracting nineteen people out of the backcountry.</div> <bR> <div> WSATVA has one organized meeting the third Wednesday of each month to discuss business and important issues pertaining to ATVs and ATVers and to share information on a variety of topics such as first aid, safety, survival, land use issues and legislation, political action, or anything else of interest to the membership.  Meetings often include a guest who has been invited, or who has asked to be present to speak on some topic of interest. </div> <bR> <div> In the summer our club meetings are held in one of the city parks to promote enjoyment of the outdoors.  Before getting down to business, the group has a potluck dinner with hot dogs and hamburgers provided by the club, while members bring a side dish to share.  The Potluck and the socializing that goes with summer outdoors in Grand Junction gives everyone a chance to `visit' with old friends and a chance to meet and make new ones. At the end of the meal, it' down to business.</div> <bR> <div> The club has anywhere from one to four club rides each month.  Most rides are from 30 to 60 miles long and take the majority of the day to ride.  Lunch is recommended and most rides are a leisurely pace with many thumb breaks along the way.  Sometimes a history lesson is given by one of the old timers from the valley if they know something about the area that is being ridden in.  If assistance is needed on bad spots along the trail there is always someone right there to provide help.  No one is expected to ride beyond his or her ability.  In case of a real emergency a fully stocked professional first aid kit accompanies each ride.  Helmets are not mandatory, but are strongly recommended.</div> <bR> <div> In addition to the weekend rides the club sponsors, the “Lords of Leisure” (folks whose current career is called “retirement”) ride during the week all over western Colorado.  This allows for people to be able to ride that might not be able to on the weekends.  In addition to riding just for the sheer enjoyment of riding, some rides are designated clean up and maintenance rides, done in furtherance of the many hours WSATVA contributes to the care and maintenance of the trails in our area.  Each year members of WSATVA log thousands of man-hours grooming, cleaning and maintaining trails though out western Colorado.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="48b644c0.jpg" border=0 width="100" height="76" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">WSATVA has adopted four trails on the Grand Mesa National Forest. They are High Trail, Monument Trail, Silver Spruce and Salt Creek trails.  We have also have adopted the Divide Forks ATV complex on the Uncompahgre Plateau and are currently in the process of adopting the Granite Creek area near the Colorado-Utah border.  The club also was instrumental in building a staging area in the Bangs Canyon riding area and adopted the Tabeguache Trail, in that area, which is used by all forms of outdoor recreationists today.  The club has designated clean up and maintenance days each year to keep these trails and areas free of litter and major hazards.  Grant funds also helped procure two Sweco 480 trail dozers specifically designed for maintaining ATV trails.  The WSATVA has applied for additional grant money to purchase another trail dozer and trailer so that it can be used specifically for the trails that they sponsor and keep them in tiptop shape.</div> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="651" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="ALL" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP HEIGHT= 106 ><NOBR><div> <IMG SRC="50c8b5c0.png" border=0 width="139" height="92" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="50dfa640.png" border=0 width="250" height="100" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="50e5d610.png" border=0 width="93" height="97" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <IMG SRC="50f8b610.png" border=0 width="139" height="97" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> </NOBR></tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <div>  Besides sponsoring and maintaining trails in western Colorado the WSATVA has, with Forest Service approval and support, also constructed, hauled and installed four bridges in three different locations over creek crossings on the Uncompahgre  and Grand Mesa National Forests. While the bridges certainly promote better soil management and help prevent erosion, they also provide  a safer way to cross creeks that during certain times of the year can be hazardous at best.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="51030b70.png" border=0 width="304" height="183" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">The first bridge was built in 1998 over Gill Creek, below Casto Reservoir on the Uncompaghre Plateau.   WSATVA members donated all of the labor and materials.  All maintenance is done by the club at no cost to the Forest Service and is enjoyed by every person or group that uses the forest. The second area to receive a bridge constructed by WSATVA came about as a result of damage done by beavers in the construction on their dams. It was built over Plateau Creek in the Stillwater Park area of the High Trail on Grand Mesa.  When first approached about the idea of a bridge in Stillwater Park the Forest Service hesitated due to budget constraints and other reasons. The resourceful members of the WSATVA however located a scrap radio tower to use for construction material and  the bridge became a reality. </div> <bR> <div> With the installation of the bridge numerous crossings were abandoned and erosion problems halted. Unfortunately, the winter of 2005 caused many problems for this bridge.  When WSATVA members were finally able to get to the bridge it was found that deep snow, a quick snowmelt and a washed out beaver dam had managed to twist the bridge and <IMG SRC="51230b60.png" border=0 width="304" height="182" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">made it unsafe to cross.  A work force was assembled and temporary measures were done so that it could still be used until a new bridge could be erected at the site.  More salvaged steel and timber were purchased with club funds and a new bridge was designed and built in Grand Jct. in two sections within a ten-day period.  It was then loaded onto a trailer and transported to Plateau Creek by ATV.  The old bridge was demolished, parts that could be used again were salvaged and the new bridge was welded together at the site and winched over the creek.  With the help of many WSATVA members, our trail dozer and two U.S. Forest Service dozer operators, dirt and rock were moved into place and the footings for the bridge were built 3 feet higher than the previous bridge.  The new bridge was fully functional the same day.</div> <bR> <div> The Willow Creek Bridge is the third location and fourth bridge that was built by the WSATVA. It is located on the east end of the Monument Trail on Grand Mesa.  It was designed and built in a driveway in Grand Jct. and then loaded onto a trailer and transported to Willow Creek.  It was set in place in the creek with anchored stone filled Gabions to support it and then the Sweco trail dozer moved dirt up to each end of it and built ramps so that there was a smooth transition onto each side of the bridge.  A sign was erected giving credit to the <IMG SRC="51520c60.jpg" border=0 width="288" height="198" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">WSATVA for building it in cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service.</div> <bR> <div> In addition to building bridges the WSATVA has published two maps of the ATV trails on Grand Mesa and Uncompahgre National Forest.  They were made possible by OHV grants and have been given out to thousands of people free of charge.  Hopefully they have helped keep people on designated trails.</div> <bR> <div> The club also supports the Adopt the Highway program by sponsoring and participating in the twice-annual cleanup of three miles of U.S. Highway 50 south of Whitewater CO.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="517382c0.jpg" border=0 width="312" height="300" ALIGN="RIGHT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >Each year WSATVA decorates their machines with Christmas lights and garland for the annual Christmas parade in downtown Grand Jct. and have also rode in the Fruita Christmas parade and Palisade Peach Festival Parades, Shrine Club parade and the Lions Club parade  representing the WSATVA and S.A.R.C.  In August, the WSATVA sponsors a poker ride for the DeBeque, Colorado Wild Horse Days.  It is a 40-mile route with three stops on the trail to pick up poker cards, and two cards at the beginning and end of the ride for a poker hand.  The best hand wins.  Half the proceeds are given out in prizes, a portion goes to the Debeque Wild Horse Council and a portion to the club.</FONT></div> <bR> <div> The Western Slope ATV Association mission statement is to “support efforts that promote protection of public lands for the public, instead of protection of public lands from the public”.  The club strives to live up to that mission statement so that there will be trails to ride for years to come.</div> <div>      </div> <div> If you are interested in learning more about the WSATVA or joining the club you can write to WSATVA, </div> <div> P. O. Box 4283 Grand Jct CO 81502-4283 or e-mail the web master at <FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#0000FF" FACE="Arial" ><A HREF="mailto:lucky7@bresnan.net" TARGET="_top" TITLE="mailto:lucky7@bresnan.net"><U>lucky7@bresnan.net</U></A></FONT> or call the WSATVA President at 970-241-2409. The club publishes a newsletter once a month.  Membership is $20.00 a year for a family and $50.00 a year for businesses.  Advertising for businesses is in the newsletter and on the web page.</div> <bR> <div>  <a href="HTMLobj-1304/family_membership.pdf"><u>Family Membership Application</u> </a>    <a href="HTMLobj-1305/business_membership.pdf"><u>Business Membership Application</u> </a>  </div> <bR> <div>  </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>